Iowa House OKs some budget bills while broader deal unclear

The Iowa House has begun chipping away at the series of spending bills that will make up the next state budget.

The Republican-controlled chamber voted 57-36 Wednesday to approve legislation to fund agriculture and natural resources. That followed a unanimous vote to pay for transportation services.

The GOP-led Senate must also OK the bills. Preliminary votes could come as soon as Thursday.

Republicans have been negotiating behind closed doors to reach a broader agreement on a roughly $7.49 billion budget set to begin in July. They want the deal to include tax cuts.

The $380 million bill funding the Department of Transportation maintains overall staffing levels. The $129 million bill funding the agriculture and natural resources departments restores staffing levels to where they were before mid-year cuts.